An Inventory of Comptroller's Office Revenue Estimating and
Research Division Records at the Texas State Archives,
1979,
1982-1986

The Revenue Estimating
and Research Division of the Comptroller's Office was responsible for providing
information and analysis on federal issues with special emphasis on the issues
affecting state finances; it also conducted research on the state's economy and
finances, public debt, the economic impact of proposed legislation, and other
governmental financial matters. These records document those functions. They
include interoffice memoranda, correspondence, newsclippings, notes,
publications, news releases and reports, and some indexes to correspondence and
subject files, dating 1979 and 1982-1986.

Since its creation in 1835, the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
has always been the central accounting officer or chief fiscal officer of the
state, and as such is responsible for maintaining effective methods for
accounting for the state's funds. He or she is the state's principal tax
administrator and collector of tax revenue. The Comptroller must also provide
the research and statistics necessary for revenue estimating and certification.
The Comptroller's Office, like many complex state agencies, is continually in
flux as to internal organization, making the following divisional history very
tentative.

The Revenue Estimating and Research division of the Comptroller's
Office was responsible for providing information and analysis on federal issues
with special emphasis on the issues affecting state finances. It also conducted
research on the state's economy and finances, public debt, the economic impact
of proposed legislation, and other governmental financial matters.

In 1985, Claudia Stravato was Associate Deputy for Tax Administration,
and Tony Proffitt was head of Research (supervised by Ms. Stravato). Bill
Hamilton was head of Fiscal Management (supervised by the Associate Deputy for
Central Administration and Funds Management). Dale Craymer was head of Revenue
Estimating (apparently supervised by Bill Hamilton).

These records were transferred to the Texas State Archives by the
Economic Analysis Center, and it is possible that these records belong to that
entity, although that is mere speculation. In consulting the
Guide to Texas State Agencies, 7th edition (1992),
it appears that the functions of the Economic Analysis Center were taken over
by the Revenue Estimating Division of the Fiscal Management Area.

The Revenue Estimating and Research Division of the Comptroller's
Office was responsible for providing information and analysis on federal issues
with special emphasis on the issues affecting state finances; it also conducted
research on the state's economy and finances, public debt, the economic impact
of proposed legislation, and other governmental financial matters. These
records document those functions. They include interoffice memoranda,
correspondence, newsclippings, notes, publications, news releases and reports,
and some indexes to correspondence and subject files, dating 1979 and
1982-1986. Reports attached to the correspondence include fiscal impact
statements, public cost-benefit analyses and economic forecasts. Subjects
addressed in the correspondence include commentary on pending legislation,
pari-mutuel wagering, state bonds, workman's compensation, natural gas market,
gambling, taxes on liquor, social security, as well as routine office and
personnel matters. Weekly status reports to the Associate Deputy Comptroller
and the Comptroller document the work of the division. Bound indexes appear to
refer to correspondence files by either name or subject with a locator number
attached to each entry.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily
reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to
provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types.

This finding aid describes two series of records from the Texas
Comptroller's Office. If you are reading this electronically, click here for an
introduction
to the Texas Comptroller's Office records. If you are reading this in
paper, the introduction is at the beginning of the first binder labeled
Comptroller.

Organization of the Records

These records have been organized by State Archives staff into two
series:

Restrictions on Access

None.

Restrictions on Use

Most records created by Texas state agencies are not copyrighted and
may be freely used in any way. State records also include materials received
by, not created by, state agencies. Copyright remains with the creator. The
researcher is responsible for complying with U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17
U.S.C.).

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
Economic Analysis Center of the Comptroller's Office (via the Records
Management Division of the Texas State Library) on March 21, 1995 and October
30, 1995.

Detailed Description of the Records

Executive correspondence,
1982-1986,
4 cubic ft.

The Revenue Estimating and Research Division of the Comptroller's
Office was responsible for providing information and analysis on federal issues
with special emphasis on the issues affecting state finances; it also conducted
research on the state's economy and finances, public debt, the economic impact
of proposed legislation, and other governmental financial matters. These
records document those functions. They include interoffice memoranda,
correspondence, newsclippings, notes, publications, news releases and reports,
dating 1982-1986. Subjects addressed in the correspondence include commentary
on pending legislation, education, workman's compensation, the natural gas
market, gambling, taxes on liquor, social security, hazardous waste, state
highways, state taxes, prison unrest, the Texas economy, as well as personnel
and other routine office matters. Correspondents include Bob Bullock,
Comptroller of Public Accounts; Tony Proffitt, director of the Revenue
Estimating and Research division; and Bill C. Hamilton, Chief Revenue
Estimator. Status reports were submitted weekly to the Associate Deputy
Comptroller and the Comptroller. Reports closely document the activities of the
division including reviewing pending state legislation, analysis of federal tax
reform proposals, as well as reports of meetings attended.

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
Economic Analysis Center of the Comptroller's Office (via the Records
Management Division of the Texas State Library) on March 21, 1995; and October
30, 1995.

The Texas Comptroller is the state's principal tax administrator
and collector of tax revenue, and must also provide the research and statistics
necessary for revenue estimating and certification. These records are bound
indexes to the central files of the executive administration of the
Comptroller's office. They are dated 1979 and 1983. The indexes appear to refer
to correspondence and subject files by either name or subject with a locator
number attached to each entry. They employ extensive cross-referencing.

Arrangement

These bound volumes are arranged by the creator in chronological
order and the contents of each index is presented in alphabetical order.

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item), Indexes to the central files of the Executive
Administration, Texas Comptroller's Office Revenue Estimating and Research
Division records. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State
Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession number: 1995/095

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information
Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the
Economic Analysis Center of the Comptroller's Office (via the Records
Management Division of the Texas State Library) on March 21, 1995.